SKINNED KNEES MEAN YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT
This move and all these new things that I happen to have now clue how to do have brought up all my shit.
My perpetual face plants, stumbles + skinned knees have forced me to re-examine my relationship with masculinity, perfectionism, + self worth. It has made me check my ego + learn to ask for help. It’s made me take my own medicine when parenting my kids. And it’s made me wonder why we lose the ability to fail on purpose, pushing ourselves to our edges as we grow?
These two. Their little heads + hearts are exploding with new knowledge, skills + animals + people to love. Everyday they go out into their own “choose your own adventure experience” in their backyard. They find new at risk frogs + make best friends, while asking me so many questions that I could write a book report on the Northern Red Legged Frog that would make Mr.Schoenefeld, my 7th grade teacher well up with pride.
They are pushing their bodies to new levels, learning to climb trees, throwing themselves awkwardly through the air holding on for dear life to an old rope tied to a branch larger than any tree they had seen before.
They’re learnin new rules, + limits, + pushing themselves to their edges. They’re learning to be “the new kid.”, an experience everyone should have.
Basically these kids are constantly doing new shit. They’re falling, failing + flailing through it all. They’re upside down on the rope swing because somehow they got their leg stuck in the foot hold. They scream “HELP MEEEEEEE IM TRAPPPED!!” At the top of their lungs having wandered into a patch of stinging nettle.
And they do it without hesitation or shame.
When you’re a kid, you’re used to screwing up, falling down, being the newbie who isn’t sure what’s going on but is along for the ride. It’s no big deal.
When does that change?
Why does that change?
Why as adults do we shame ourselves for screwing up while learning new things instead of chalking it up to a scraped knee along the way.
Why do we stop doing new things, pretend we know everything, + shame ourselves when we don’t?
I’m not sure. I think it creeps in slowly but surely.